Abraham Fletcher facts for kids
Abraham Fletcher (born in 1714, died on January 1, 1793) was a smart English mathematician.
A Self-Taught Genius
Abraham Fletcher was born in a small village called Little Broughton in Bridekirk, Cumberland, England. His father made tobacco pipes and taught Abraham the same job. But Abraham wanted to learn more! He taught himself to read, write, and do math. He especially loved numbers and solving math problems.
After working all day, Abraham would climb into the loft above his father's house using a rope. There, he could study without anyone bothering him. He worked hard and learned all about Euclid's geometry. When he was 30 years old, he became a school teacher. He was known as a great math teacher!
Abraham got married early. His wife, like his parents, thought studying was a waste of time and didn't make money. But Abraham kept learning!
"Doctor Fletcher"
Later, Abraham became interested in botany, which is the study of plants. He didn't just learn to name plants; he learned what they could do. He started making and selling special plant-based medicines. Because of this, his neighbors called him 'Doctor Fletcher.'
He also studied something called judicial astrology, which is an old way of trying to predict the future using stars. He even tried to predict how long he would live using his birth chart. He predicted he would live for 78 years and 55 days. Abraham Fletcher actually lived for 78 years and 71 days, passing away on January 1, 1793.
His Books
Abraham Fletcher wrote several books about measuring and mechanics. These books were helpful for many people, including gentlemen, tradesmen, and mechanics.
- The Universal Measurer. This book came in two parts. The first part explained the ideas behind measuring shapes and solid objects. The second part taught how to actually measure things for different jobs, like building, surveying land, or mining. It was published in Whitehaven between 1752 and 1753.
- The Universal Measurer and Mechanic. This book was also very useful and included pictures. It was published in London in 1762.
